Editorial: Making CORI more fair, effective

Wednesday

Jul 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 29, 2009 at 8:20 PM

Once a convicted criminal has served his sentence, shouldn't he be able to get a job to support his family? So say the defenders of Michael Vick, who has done 18 months in jail for his part in a dog-fighting operation and has now been cleared to return to the National Football League.

Once a convicted criminal has served his sentence, shouldn't he be able to get a job to support his family? So say the defenders of Michael Vick, who has done 18 months in jail for his part in a dog-fighting operation and has now been cleared to return to the National Football League.

The same can be said for the thousands of individuals who have completed sentences for crimes in Massachusetts. Their criminal records can result in a life sentence of unemployment - and they don't have Vick's bank account to fall back on.

Several factors contribute to a criminal records system that doesn't work well either for former convicts or for those with good reason to protect their business or clients from untrustworthy individuals. Access to official state records under the Criminal Offender Record Information law is limited, so employers often turn to private data aggregators. That information, based on some, but not all, court and police records, is often inaccurate and applicants aren't given the chance to correct it or respond to it. Criminal records aren't sealed until 10 years after the last misdemeanor and 15 years after the last felony.

Beacon Hill is now taking an overdue look at reforming the CORI law in ways that serve everyone. Gov. Deval Patrick's bill, as well as bills filed by others, would allow employers secure access to the CORI database at a certain point in the hiring process, but applicants would be informed and given the chance to challenge the accuracy of the records. Landlords, licensing boards and volunteer organizations would also have access to CORI records without pre-approval. Misdemeanor records would be sealed after 5 years, felony records after 10. Patrick's bill would also offer employers limited protection from negligent hiring lawsuits when they use the state database.

For 20 years the state, like most of the country, has followed a criminal justice strategy based on locking up large numbers of people. But nearly every criminal locked up is eventually released, so these policies have, as an unintended consequence, produced a growing population of unemployable ex-criminals.

That's a recipe for more crime. By easing access to jobs for those who, like Michael Vick, have served their time, CORI reform will help reduce recidivism and give ex-convicts the second chance they need.

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